Being a lover of cooking and an avid reader, I am a huge collector of cookbooks. Every time, I am at the bookstore I always end up buying a cookbook with a good intention of cooking the recipes. I also have a large collection of magazines, cutouts from several other magazines, bookmarks on my computer and recipes clicked on my phone.

I made a promise to myself that though I may not stop doing any of the above, I will at least start cooking the recipes from the books I own. I hope in this exercise, I learn new recipes and flavours, new techniques, share my successes & mistakes with you and learn a lot through this journey.

Today’s recipe is “Kokum Soup” from the book “Ayurvedic Cooking” from a well renowed ayurvedic practitioner Dr. Vasant Lad.

Kokum, commonly known as “Sola” in Konkani are dried sun dried peels of Garcinia indica fruit, which belongs to the mangosteen family. The outer covering of the fruit is dried in the sun and used as a souring agent, an alternative to tamarind in Goan cusine. “Sol Kadi” and “Futi kadi/tamdi kadi/ Tival” are two dishes that I grew up eating during my childhood at the end of every meal as it is a good digestive.

Kokum Soup (adapted from the “Ayurvedic Cooking” book)

Ingredients:

10 dried Kokum fruits

3 cups water

2 tbspns ghee

1/2 tspn cumin seeds

1/4 tspn mustard seeds

1 tbspn fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

sprig of fresh curry leaves

2 tbspns besan or chickpea flour

1/4 tspn chilli powder/black pepper powder

1/2 tspn salt or to taste

1 tbspn jaggery

Pinch of asafoetida

Directions:

Soak the dried kokum fruits in 1 cup of hot water for about 30 minutes.

Squeeze the fruit into this water several times and then strain.

Add 2 tbspns of besan to this water very well, ensuring there are no lumps.

The temperature is soaring as high as 38 degrees and all I want is to sip a cool, refreshing juice to keep me energized and hydrated. Summer is abundant with fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables

There are different theories whether juicing is healthier than eating fruits and vegetables as a lot of fiber is lost during the juicing process. The benefit of juicing is you get a good concentration of nutrients in an absorbable form. Juicing will still retain the vitamins, minerals and enzymes needed to heal the body. If you are worried about missing the fibre, either add some fibre back into the juice and blend it in the blender.

Cantaloupes are rich in Vitamin C and a good source of beta-carotene. Carrots are a terrific source of provitamin A. It also contains Vitamin C, B Complex and also minerals like potassium, sodium and phosphorus. Cucumbers contain a lot of water and helps regulate body temperature. They are excellent source of chlorine and silicon.

I love this combination and both energizing & calming at the same time. Always use organic vegetables while juicing to get the maximum benefit of the juices. Also make sure all the vegetables are washed and scrubbed well.

Cantaloupe, Cucumber & Carrot Juice

1/2 medium cantaloupe

1/2 English cucumber

3 carrots

1/2 inch ginger

1/2 tspn lemon/lime juice (optional)

Cut the cantaloupe into strips. Trim the carrots and cut them in 2 to 3 inch pieces. Cut the cucumbers into quarters and then into strips. Process the cantaloupe, rind (if using organic), carrots, cucumber and ginger through the juicer. Stir to combine. Add lemon or lime juice if using. Serve immediately.

Goan Prawn Cutlets/Sungtache Dangar is a popular dish made in every Goan household. Cutlets are known as Dangar in Konkani. They are served along with a main meal of rice and Goan fish curry. Growing up, my mom prepared these delicious cutlets frequently and they would be devoured within minutes. Now I prepare them for my son who too enjoys them a lot.

To prepare small prawns are used but if your prawns are big, cut them into smaller pieces. You can substitute the prawns with clams or oyster meat as well.

How to make Goan Prawn Cutlets/Sungtache Dangar:

Ingredients:

500 gms prawns, preferably small

1 cup onion, finely chopped

2-3 green chillis, finely chopped

Handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped

2 tbsp. chickpea flour*(see notes)

1/2 tbsp. tamarind pulp

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

2 tspns. goan garam masala powder*(see notes)

2 tbsp. grated coconut(optional)

1/4 cup semolina

Salt to taste

oil for shallow frying

Instructions:

Clean and devein the prawns. If the prawns are big, chop them into small pieces or pulse them in a food processor. Pat dry.

Sago also known as Sabudana in India is a starch extracted from the sago palm tree and is a common in Indian cuisine. It is a starchy food and consumed mostly during religious fasting rituals. It is also very cooling effect on system and hence the best food for patients with fever, diarrhea and poor digestion.

Summer is also a time in India where there is a culture of drying vegetables, mixtures of lentils and spices dough, and pastes made from rice, sago and similar items are preserved for the rest of the year especially in preparation for the monsoon season when fresh produce is not readily available.

Sago Fritters are served as accompaniments with meals just like pickles, chutneys and papad. They are readily available in the market but it lacks the flavor of a homemade one. Plus they are so easy to make and you make it either sweet or savoury according to your liking.

How to make Sago Fritters/Sabudana Papad

Ingredients:

1 cup sabudana

5 cups water

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsps. chilli flakes

2 tsp sea salt

Instructions:

Wash the sago/sabudana really well.

Soak the sago/sabudana in 2 cups of water preferably overnight.

Next morning, drain the water and transfer the sago/sabudana to a heavy bottom pan. Add 5 cups of water, salt and cook on medium heat stirring continuously.

Cook the sago/sabudana till it is soft and transparent. The consistency will be like a dosa batter.

Now add the cumin seeds and chilli flakes. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly.

Let it cook for another 5 minutes. Then switch off the flame.

Let the mixture cool down a bit. In the meantime, spread a cotton cloth or a plastic sheet under the sun and prepare it for spreading the fritters. If using a plastic sheet, sprinkle some water and spread it.

Take a tablespoon of the mixture and gently pour over the cloth or sheet. Repeat for the rest of the mixture keeping a 1-2 inch space between each.

After 2 days when it is semi-dried, flip it over and let it dry on the other side. Depending on the amount of sunlight you receive, the whole process could take anywhere between 2-5 days to dry completely. Mine took about 4 days.

When it is completely dry, it will be hard and crisp.

Store in an airtight container if not using immediately.

When you ready to fry, deep fry them in oil. They will start puffing up and will turn white in colour.

Serve along with a meal or as a tea time snack.

Notes:

Variations to the mixture:

You can add crushed green chillis, pepper or red chilli powder to the mixture as per your taste

Omit the cumin seeds and red chillis flakes and add sugar to make a sweeter version.

It is a very hot summer day about 30 degrees here in Toronto and a perfect weather to indulge in some good home made ice cream. I always prefer home made to store bought ice cream as they are usually loaded with a bunch of flavor and colour enhancers to make the ice cream more palatable.

Pistachios have always been my favourite among the nut family. It is thick and creamy and has the full flavor of pistachios without the need for any of the artificial enhancers.

I made this in my Cuisinart Ice cream maker which I love as it lets me personalize my mix to make my favorite flavors of ice creams and sorbets.

How to make Philadelphia Style Pistachio Ice Cream

Ingredients

3 cups organic heavy cream, chilled

1 cup organic half & half, chilled

1 3/4 cups organic sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

1 cup unsalted pistachios, shelled and powdered

1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped

pinch of saffron (optional)

1/8 tsp salt

Directions

In a large heavy bottom pan, bring the cream, half & half sugar, saffron, salt and the powdered pistachios to a boil.

Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and let it cool completely.

Add the vanilla and almond extracts.

Pour into glass container, cover with plastic wrap, pressing it against the mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours, preferably over night.

Remove from the refrigerator and pour into an ice cream machine. It will take about 25-30 minutes. Once it has thickened (after 25-30 min), add the chopped pistachios and let it run for another 5 minutes.

The consistency after 30 minutes will be like a soft serve ice cream.

Place in a freezer-safe container and chill overnight, preferably before serving.

Notes:

I used raw pistachios, but you can use roasted and salted pistachios as well.

Instead of pistachio powder, you can also use pistachio paste but I have yet to try that version.

Make Croutons!! You must be thinking, why would I make croutons at home when it is easy to buy it at the store. But I guarantee you that once you have made a homemade croutons, you will not go back to the store bought one. It’s that easy. Plus these are baked not fried and takes only 15 minutes to prepare. If you have any leftover bread in your kitchen and don’t know what to do with it, make croutons. It is good garnish over soups, salads or as a plain snack.

Ingredients for Croutons

1 whole baguette* (see notes)

4 tsbp ghee or almond oil or olive oil (I used ghee)

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp dried oregono

1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375˚F.

Slice the baquette into 1/2 inch slices and then cut or tear them into cubes.

In a small bowl, combine the ghee or oil of your choice, salt, oregano and pepper. Set aside.

Spread the bread evenly on a baking sheet. Drizzle the seasoning on the bread and toss till it is well combined.

Bake it in the oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, check if it brown enough. If not, let it bake for another 5 minutes. You will have to check on if every 5 minutes.

Dijon slathered baked salmon requires only a few ingredients and comes together in less than 30 minutes. Pair this with a salad and this can become a wholesome, healthy meal for the entire family.

If you are doing meal prep during weekend, Baked Salmon is a great dish to include for quick and easy weeknight dinner. It can be baked in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat, simply warm them up in a preheated a 275°F oven for about 15 minutes.

Always choose wild Alaskan and Pacific Salmon over farmed. Farmed salmon are easily infected with parasites, are raised in netted pens and can spread disease to wild fish. This is why groups like Seafood Watch and the Environmental Defense have put farmed salmon on their “red” or “avoid” list. Wild Salmon has less calories, saturated fat and vitamins A and D than farmed salmon but they are high in protein. They also has higher levels of heart healthy omega-6 fatty acids than farmed salmon.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb salmon cut into 4 portions

1/4 cup parsley, minced finely

2 tbsp avocado oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

3 cloves garlic grated into a paste or minced

1 tsbp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp pepper

salt to taste

lime slices (for garnishing)

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Place the salmon on the baking sheet and set it aside.

I am always looking for a quick and healthy dinners for busy weeknights. Quinoa Greek salad is a healthy, colourful and refreshing salad that comes together in less than 30 minutes. It is loaded with the goodness of creamy avocados, crisp cucumbers, red bell peppers, juicy tomatoes, tangy kalamata olives, feta, quinoa and a tangy and flavorful dressing. I have added quinoa as my source of protein. You can prep the veggies except the avocados as a part of your weekend meal prep to make your weeknights seem seamless. Quinoa also can be cooked in advance and used as a vegetarian source of protein.

A well know saying is “We eat with our eyes first”. Visual appearance of a dish have been known to change the perception of taste, smell, and flavor. Color is the most obvious visual cue. This salad is so colorful, you will want to eat it right away.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

1 large red bell pepper, sliced

1 head romaine lettuce, torn or chopped

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 english cucumber, peeled and diced

1 medium red onion, sliced

1 large avocado, peeled and sliced

5 ounces feta cheese, 1/2 inch diced

1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced in rounds

Dressing ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice (or 2 tbsp red wine vinegar)

1 garlic clove, minced finely

1 tsp kosher salt or to taste

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Rinse the quinoa under cold water to remove its bitterness. In a saucepan, add 1 3/4 water, quinoa and a pinch of salt on a medium flame. Let it come to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, cover with a lid and let it cook on low flame for about 10-15 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let it cool completely. Fluff it with a fork.

Eid is around the corner and it always brings back memories of my childhood days. Naseem Banu, our neighbour would invite my family every year for Eid lunch. Among the wide variety of dishes served to us, there is one dish that would always stand out is”Sheer Khurma”.

Sheer means “milk” and Khurma means “dates. It is a popular and must dessert prepared specially during “Eid-Ul-Fitr” and “Eid-Ul-Adha by the Muslim community. It is served on the morning of Eid day for breakfast after Eid prayers and to others visiting their homes.

Significance of Dates:

History holds that Prophet Mohammed broke his fast with 3 dates and water. Hence it is regarded as a part of a blessed prophetic diet. Muslims throughout the world break their fast with dates during Ramadan. Nutritionally, dates are an excellent source of carbohydrates, fiber, sugar, potassium and magnesium.

A 100 gram serving of dates provides the following nutrients :

Calories: 277

Carbs: 75 grams

Fiber: 7 grams

Protein: 2 grams

Potassium: 20% of the RDI

Magnesium: 14% of the RDI

Sheer Khurma is a rich and delicious milk based dessert made using vermicelli, dates, nuts, raisins, sugar and saffron. Every household has their own version of making this delicious dessert. This is my humble attempt at recreating this magnificent delicacy.

Points to note before preparing:

Always use full fat milk for making Sheer Khurma (I used 3.8%)

Use fine vermicelli (see picture)

Dried fruits must be soaked overnight

Add saffron and kewra essence

Dried dates are generally used in this recipe. If using, soak them along with the nuts. I have used regular dates hence did not soak them.

Ingredients:

4 cups milk

1 cup vermicelli, broken

1/2 cup condensed milk

3 tbsp ghee

1/4 cup pistachios

1/4 cup almonds

1/4 cup cashews

1/4 cup dates*

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/2 tsp cardamom, powdered

Pinch of Saffron

1 tsp Kewra essence*

Rose petals (garnishing)

Method:

Soak the pistachios, almonds and cashews overnight in water. Next day, drain and rinse the nuts. Peel the skin of the pistachios, almonds and cashews and slice the nuts lengthwise. Deseed the dates and chop them lengthwise as well.

Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a pan. When the ghee is hot, add the nuts and toast them till they turn light brown. Remove and set aside. Reserve some nuts for garnishing.

Next toast the raisins till they plump up. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, toast the dates and fry for a few seconds until it leaves a good aroma. Remove and set this aside.

Finally, toast the vermicelli till it is golden brown.

Pour milk in a medium heavy bottom saucepan. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the milk starts to thicken. Stir often so that the milk does not burn at the bottom.

Once the milk starts to thicken, add the vermicelli. Reduce the flame and continue cooking for about 15-20 minutes.

Add the condensed milk and stir it thoroughly.

Next add the fried nuts, dates,raisins and saffron. Stir to combine and simmer it for another 5 minutes.

Add the cardamom powder and kewra essence and give it a quick stir.

Turn off the flame and let the mixture sit. The mixture tends to thicken as it cools. If that happens, add little more milk.

Serve warm or chilled. Garnish with rose petals and the reserved nuts.

I still remember my first bite of these small, crunchy, oily round fritters at this small joint (anoushrestaurants.ca) near University Avenue in Toronto. It was instant love and I was transported to another world. Hidden inside freshly made pita bread were these crunchy fritters along with some hot sauce, tahina sauce, hummus, and garlic sauce. Falafels have been in my list of favourite foods ever since.

Falafels originated in Egypt and were and continues to be made with Fava beans. It then made it way to other Middle Eastern countries including Israel where it is made with chickpeas. History states that the dish was invented in Egypt by Coptic Christians who ate it as a replacement for meat during Lent. These fritters are now found around the world as part of vegetarian cuisine. Falafel plays an iconic role in Israeli cuisine and is widely considered to be the national dish of the country.

The star ingredient in Falafel is “Chickpeas” also known as “Garbanzo beans”. They are widely used in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine. About 75% of the fiber found in chickpeas is insoluble fiber which remains undigested as it reached your large intestine. That makes falafels wholesome, nutritious while also being vegan and gluten-free. The ingredients needed to prepare falafels are affordable, easy to find in the local superstore and most importantly very easy to prepare. If you have not yet had a chance to try this, it’s time you do.

Canned chickpeas will not work. It should be made with dried and soaked chickpeas.

Falafels are always deep fried. When they are deep fried, they soak less oil.

Now let’s get to the recipe.

Ingredients:

250 gms dried chickpeas

1/2 bunch parsley

1/2 bunch cilantro

3 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 medium onion,roughly chopped

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1 tablespoon chickpea flour (optional)

Oil for frying (I used avocado oil but any oil with high smoke point will work)

Instructions:

Rinse the chickpeas and soak them overnight in a large bowl with enough water. Next day, rinse the chickpeas again and drain well.

In a bowl of a food processor, place the herbs, garlic, onion and spices and pulse till they are coarsely chopped. Then add the chickpeas, salt and chickpea flour and pulse again till it is finely chopped. The texture should be similar to couscous and should hold together when pressed.

Transfer the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, heat oil in a heavy duty frying pan over medium heat with about 1-inch of oil to 375 degrees F. You can use a deep fry thermometer to monitor the temperature for accurate results.

Remove the mixture from the refrigerator and form 1 inch fritters. A cookie scoop or a falafel scoop can be used as well to shape the fritters. Shape and size of the fritter can be adjusted to your preference.

By now, the oil will be hot enough to start frying. Slide the fritters gently into the hot oil ensuring you do not overcrowd the pan. About 5-6 fritters at a time is ideal. Keep frying them till they are golden brown on each side. It will take about 5 minutes for it to brown completely. Once they are fried, remove them from the oil and drain it on a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining fritters.

Serve hot.

Serving suggestions:

Serve it hot with tahini sauce and hummus

Stuff them into a pita with a tahini sauce, hummus, hot sauce, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and pickles of your choice.

Can this be frozen? Yes – I have made a big batch and frozen them. After the fritters have cooled completed, place the fritters inside a Ziploc bag and seal thoroughly. Place this Ziploc bag into another Ziploc bag and again seal thoroughly.

When you are ready to eat, thaw them and reheat in the oven at 200 deg. F for 15 minutes.